Updates and Random Thoughts of St. George Project Sub 3 (By: Andrew)

I wanted to drop in and write a guest post, I will warn you I wrote some of this post at 1 am and I felt like I was really funny, so if I wasn’t….. Just help a brother out and pretend I am.

A few people have been asking about school and how everything is going. I am in my last semester of school. I will graduate with a Bachelors in Nursing in the beginning of March. I am so stoked. I can’t believe that I am almost done. I am excited to start a new career but also nervous about what to choose, what to specialize in. I am leaning towards acute care, ER and ICU but I am happy to work anywhere at this point so I will keep you all updated on that when the time comes!

I started to write this post a few days after Janae’s marathon and I wanted to share with you a few thoughts that I came up with:

1. During Janae’s marathon training= Friday night, and by night I mean 7:30 pm= me partying with myself on the couch watching reruns of the office. Saturday morning= falling asleep on my bike while doing long runs in the dark in the hour that no one should be awake.

2. The tickle in my throat is rewarded with me sleeping on the couch for 5 nights… TRUE STORY (This was mostly my idea).

3. No kissing (when I had the tickle in my throat)… I mean I’m a walking disease so I can’t pass that on.

4. Carb loading doesn’t go so well for the person that doesn’t run 50+ miles a week… I’m still working that off

5. That Kieffer power bun, effectively shaves off 3 minutes. Two words : Aerodynamics…. yeah its only one word… just wanted to see if you caught that.

6. I think Skye realized that during marathon training dad is in charge and she wanted to hang out with me during my late nights. The second the marathon was over and Janae was taking over at night… she sleeps through the night. I’m starting to think all my girls are against me in life. I’m in trouble when the kids are teenagers.

7. I think Janae’s mom said multiple prayers in the car when I was driving us from point to point during the marathon. At one point I asked her if she was okay and she was like, “I trust your driving….” as she grabbed the “oh sh*# handles of our SUV bracing for impact.

8. When we are stressed and getting ready for an important event… I think we become scatter brained. I went to Target 4 times the day before the race.

9. Being in the car during the marathon with kids with little sleep might be worse than running 26.2 miles… Don’t worry I really love them.

11. Weather reports determined our happiness or sadness for the entire family the week leading up to the race.

12. Don’t let Brooke have two honey stinger waffles before an Olympic key-note speaker at the expo. She was literally running on the walls running her own marathon.

13. Again, don’t question the Keiffer Bun. It is magical.

14. I’m scared of my wife’s determined look, it pierced my soul.

15. I think Janae bought 9 outfits for the marathon. I learned to not question it, just smile and nod and everything will be okay.

16. I think people forget my name so at times I just go by “Hungry Runner Girl Husband”

17. I HATE Snow Canyon State Park on St. George Marathon Day. I thought I was prepared and even brought my bike to make it so I didn’t miss Janae like I did the year before and you guessed it…. I missed her by a minute. I could vent for a VERY LONG time about this but St. George thought it would be good if they were to actually charge to spectate this year. You were supposed to buy a ticket ahead of time, which I did, but it seemed like the rest of the world didn’t and we had to wait in line for each person to pay. SOOOOOO infuriating… anyways… end of rant.

18. I’m a nerd when it comes to spectating. I google mapped everything out and estimated the times and wrote them down. I did this multiple times to make sure I had everything covered.

19. I love meeting the readers of the blog… it’s fun to hear their stories… don’t be shy come say hi!!!

20. It was literally pure bliss to watch Janae reach her goal of sub 3 hour marathon. I was SOOOOO happy and I am so proud of her. She worked so hard for this.

21. Janae must be not used to the amount of caffeine that she took for the race or is so high on life for accomplishing her goals that she was still up at 1am the DAY OF THE RACE. I don’t know what planet she is from today because the Janae I know goes to sleep at 9pm at night.

All joking aside, it was an amazing experience to see Janae get her sub-3 marathon. So much work and sacrifice went into this. Before the marathon I geeked out and made sure I knew exactly where I needed to be at the right time and how long it took me using the streets that weren’t closed. I was able to run with her for a few minutes at various points of the race and I was at the finish, it was emotional for us all. She has been at this and never gave up and I’m so happy we were all able to share this experience together. Also thank you for EVERYONE who reached out on social media, in person or in whatever way you did. Janae read each comment and it meant the world to her and our little family. You all are the best.

AmandaM

Very funny post – no lying necessary to say that. Especially the description of Janae’s mom. I can picture her being very cute and scared. Ha!

After the 5 marathons I have run, I was so wired and also stayed up super late. I could NOT sleep and I am also usually in bed by 9:00/9:30 p.m. I also NEVER have caffeine and would often have a caffeinated GU (only ONE) during the race and I felt like an energizer bunny after the races.

This post had me cracking up! I ran a marathon recently here in Delaware and my husband followed me as much as he could along the course as well. So I had all the feels about you missing Janae as a result of other people’s lack of preparedness :( Could there maybe have been 2 lines, one for those who paid ahead and one for those who still need to? Just sayin! I am an Endoscopy Nurse. I do prep/recovery and assist with GI and pulmonary procedures. I did med/surg nursing prior to this job. There are so many specialties and paths you can take in nursing which is one of the many reasons it is an awesome career! Good luck in all your future endeavors!

Hilary

Great post Andrew!! I did find it funny!!
I am a Nurse, I specialized in Pediatric Intensive Care, worked there for about 9 years and then went back for my Masters in Anesthesia. Now I am a CRNA!!
I highly recommend ICU, it teaches you to think critically and you really get to focus on your patients. Also, if you can work in intensive care it gives you many options for graduate school if you chose to further your degree. I highly recommend going to Anesthesia school. Best wishes on your last semester and boards!!

Krista S

Yes to the mustache but only for Movember ;) Grow it next month and raise some funds for men’s health! My husband is a urologist so I may be a bit biased but the movember foundation does amazing work and raises a ton of money for prostate/testicular cancer research as well as other men’s health initiatives.

Good luck with finishing school!

Ali

I say no to the “stache. But if you do grow one, raise money and grow it through Mustaches That Matter. It’s an adopting fund raising campaign our church does every year. https://mustachesthatmatter.com/
I’m pretty sure the 2018 campaign already happened but 2019 is coming soon!

Kelly

Great guest post, Andrew! :) It’s so awesome how close you are to graduating! I love seeing how you and Janae support each other’s goals. You both work really hard for them, and you are obviously all in to help each other to reach them. Janae’s super excited “I just got my sub-3!!!!” face in that picture is adorable. My husband is considering going back to school and he’s about your age so it’s cool to see examples of families balancing that successfully! I’m going to have to go with the crowd and say no mustache. :)

Amanda Mc

Sooo…when I read the sentence about your name, I thought those people are idiots, because his name is definitely…………*scrolled back to the top* ANDREW. I really knew it until that exact moment. Sorry.

I’m not a nurse, but I am a respiratory therapist in the NICU and I would never ever ever want to work anywhere else. I’m about to go back to school to get my Bachelors in Healthcare Management and later a Masters in Education. #goals.

Sure, grow a mustache, its just hair. It would be fun to use it for Halloween, and then you can just shave it off after.

Allie

Andrea

NO MUSTACHE!!! I’m not a fan of any facial hair. I used to be an ER Nurse then Went back to school for medicine and am now a hospitalist physician. ER nursing was very challenging and stressful, especially for a new grad.

Mollie

Definite no to the mustache. 😂 For Janae’s sake.
I’m sharing this post with my husband. He chickens out every time he’s going to spectate because we have two little kids. He’ll text me…but you know how slow the tracking updates can be. In Chicago he was texting me my half times when I was well past 16 miles! I’m like, cool. Thanks. 🙄
I really think it’s awesome how supportive and excited you get about Janae’s goals—it’s really fun having someone to share it with because, even though it’s just a hobby, it’s so time consuming and such an emotional investment.
Good luck picking a speciality!
And back to back marathons for sure. But I’ve run an ultra, which is basically the same thing without a break. Haha.

Jackie

I am not a nurse but my dad, my uncle and my cousin are. My dad was a NICU nurse and then a nurse anesthetist. My uncle worked ICU and then became a nurse anesthetist. My cousin worked a general floor in the hospital but just finished her masters with the goal of teaching nursing. Her husband is also a nurse and worked cardiac for years (7?) and just finished his anesthesia rotation.

John

Awesome post Andrew! I lol’d at 14 and almost spit my coffee out. If you ever see that look again and you think you may have done something wrong, run!!!

Definitely no to the stache unless you plan to shave it off for charity as others have mentioned.

This is my first post on the HRG/HRG Mom/HRG Husband blog. Great job on your sub 3 Janae and awesome job taking care of the support and logistics Andrew! Have you ever thought of renting out Janae’s race support crew? You guys could make a fortune! :)

Hello! HRG Mom here. Hahahaha! I loved your comment. I saw faces on Janae during that race that I have never seen! At one point we got back in the car and I said, “Yikes! She looks so fierce! I hope no one messes with her!” She was very determined to get her sub3. It was so fun to be part of it. Thank you for reading!

Tracy

Ha! One additional funny and awesome thing about this post is the people in the background of some of the pics. The dude feeding his baby behind the J+J pic – love it! Very likely he was there supporting his wife too. Also the girl with the camera behind Janae in the last pic – her expression is awesome :-)

I’m not in school, but my husband is (also done next spring, with a masters). Really ready for it to be done.

Hello! HRG Mom here. I agree about the background people. Another supportive dad helping his wife. Andrew is so great at supporting Janae too! The little girl in the background was the best photographer of the day! She gave Janae the best pictures of all of the race/day. Thank you for reading.

You’re awesome for mapping out where you can see Janea! Usually my family just meets me at the finish line. Which is still good but it would be awesome to see them on those hard miles when you can use the extra push.

Sooo happy for you! Congrats! Kudos to Andrew too for the support it took to help you get there! Your posts are inspiring and helped me as I trained for my half last week (2nd one after getting breast cancer last year and it drove me to get healthier and excercise more!). Although I was disappointed I didn’t get a PR, it was consistent with my last time and all the more for me to get up after “falling” and try harder next time! That mental toughnesss is hard!
As for Andrew, I’ve been a nurse for 20 years! (Wow I’m old!). I think you’d enjoy the challenge of ICU (I did it for 8 years), but now I enjoy the predictability of the GI lab with less stress and a great schedule! Congrats and best wishes as you embark on a rewarding career! You guys are entertaining to read about and I enjoy all your advice on training and gear!

Hello! HRG Mom here. I am absolutely in awe of your ability to run half marathons after having breast cancer last year. You must be one strong lady, mentally and physically. I really appreciate your example of endurance and toughness for the rest of us that look up to your accomplishments. Thank you, thank you.

Annemarie

Agree that this was a funny post… well done, Andrew 👍 I am in my last year of grad school, graduating with my Masters in Social Work in May.. whoohoo! Honestly cannot wait to be done with school. I am sure you understand!

I personally hate mustaches, but that’s just me 😏

I watched highlights from Kona last night and it looks so awesome BUT I hate swimming, so I’m going with back-to-back marathons… pretty sure I could rock that 😉

Sondra

Great post, and good to see “the other side” of marathon training.
My first marathon is Saturday. I’m a wreck.
I haven’t kissed my husband in 4 days because he has a tickle in his throat; haven’t banished him to the couch … yet.
I am living on Zicam and Vitamin C.
My moods are all over the place because I’m also nursing an injured foot/ankle … one minute I’m feeling confident, the next I’m feeling like I won’t make it 100 yards into the race. My husband just keeps telling me, “yes you can,” and, “yes dear.”
I will have run 5 races (not marathons) this year … so far 3 have been in rain and 42-52 degree weather, and he’s been there for all of them.
He’ll be glad when this is over, I’m sure.

Stacy

Yay for another nurse!!
I work General Medical and also float. So Im kinda all over the place. I don’t think you can go wrong with starting on medSurg just because you get sooo much experience and it’s a great foundation. But with any area you choose, you’ll learn so much!

lynnette grant

Corey

What a great recap from the most supportive husband around! Very cute stories about the kids and your mother-in-law!

I’m not a nurse, but while getting my master’s (health service admin), I was grad assistant in my school’s department of nursing. I overheard a lot of very interesting practicum information based on my office being in the nursing lab! Nursing school is TOUGH, but you’re killing it! I remember all the new grads wanted to do the exciting stuff, like med-surg.

No mustache. Ew.

Swimming and biking are not my strengths, so marathon all the way!

Michelle

This is hilarious, Andrew. I laughed out loud about you driving Janae’s Mom around. Kudos to you for being almost done with school, it’s great that you and Janae support each other so much! And I think you could totally rock a mustache!

Lisa

The funniest part of this was asking if you should grow a mustache (no! Ew. The only mustache that has looked good in the history of ever is Tom Selleck) & Janae’s fierce face ❤️
I haven’t run a marathon or any kind of triathalon yet so my opinion doesn’t mean much BUT running a marathon two days in around sounds like yuck so I’ll vote for Ironman.
When I was in nursing school I wanted to be a treatment nurse but since my son’s surgeries I’ve grown to absolutely love the pediatric nurses as the Children’s Hospital. If I ever go back to finish my degree (I had to stop when we started our family) that’s what I would do.

Kelly

Krista

YES GROW.THE.STACHE. Hahaha I love seeing things from your perspective! That picture of her happy face after!!!! Also, how do I find a man as supportive as you??? the way you put her goals as your priorities and sacrificed for her success really made me wanna cry every time… i’m so happy for you guys but also how do i get that…. maybe you guys should write a joint post about this!? Supporting eachother and like a how-to make your person feel good !

Katie

Love the guest post Andrew!! What an amazing accomplishment for Janae and it’s so fun how you guys all suppport her and root for her as a family!! I think you should grow a mustache for no shave November lol. But I have a feeling Janae wouldn’t go for it lol!! Anyways, fun post love the part about Janaes determined look, hilarious!!

kelly

I am a nurse-went to nursing school because I wanted to be an OB nurse. A few days after graduation (’93) I went to work in a community hospital 4 bed OB dept. I did night shift for a zillion years ;) Anyway, I did OB nursing, OB office nursing, then Short Stay (such an awesome unit-no nights, rare weekends, no holidays! And very fast paced!) and now school nursing! I love my career!!!

If you are waffling on a ‘stache, do one because you can always shave it off if you don’t like it. Be prepared, it might freak Skye out though!

Your last question is totally debatable! I’ve done 2 Ironmans and they are hard but so much fun. I think two marathons back to back on trails would be the most doable though.

Lee

I understand ‘staches and facial hair are for those without jobs where they report to someone + you’re in a hospital/ health promoting place. There are reasons the military was pro-shave and clean fingernails. So, no.

The new HRG face! Running in ick shorts can do it!! You’re like, “I NEED to change clothes! This is gross! Get me to the finish line!!! This is gross! Depends next time!!!” Thoughts likely did not include, “This happens to runners all the time. I’m one with my people now.”

Rene' Hall

I’ve been a Labor and Delivery nurse for almost 5 years and I love going to work every single shift. I’ve worked with one male L&D nurse and he was a rock star – his patients loved him. I have a few friends who went the trauma/ER route and they love it. So many options – good luck!

Kathee

I earned my BSN after my divorce so I felt I was a little late in the game. I wanted to do what you do, critical care or ER. Luckily I found the Critical Care Internship at the University of Utah Hospital. I know it’s far from you but it’s amazing! You do bedside time in all the ICUs and ER plus learn so much. I ended up in their SICU. I like ICU more then ER. I felt like it wasn’t really a brain buster. I worked SICU for about 10 years, some ER and then I started flying for AirMed. Being a flight nurse is the best. We are safer in the air then driving to work. Good luck on your career! It’s the best.

Amber

I am thinking there may be a Hungry Runner Girl Husband blog soon? Talk all thing supporting the ones you love and training? Lol. Great post!!! No nurse here, but my mom and sister are and they love it! I would say pick a specialty you really enjoy!!

Also, Hi HRG Mom!!

Jill

Hi Andrew!
Congrats on seeing the finish line to your nursing degree! I bet you can’t wait! What amazing accomplishments you BOTH have made! I am not a nurse but have many friends/family members who are and I’ve been considering a career change to nursing. But I am older (39) and wanted to get your perspective on how it was going back to school as an adult and the real details of how difficult it is from someone’s who’s in it right now! I would love any and all advice from you! Thank you!!

Amanda

What a fun post! Can completely visualize HRG Mom grabbing the handles and gently reminding you that she SHOULD trust your driving by saying that she does….lol! :-) What a fun memory for both of you! One thing I do know…Janae is truly blessed to have such an amazing support system behind her.

Regarding the stache…on the fence because you ultimately should do you but at the end of the day will Janae and your kiddos want to kiss that face? If I was a man that would be my deal breaker for that question.

As someone who has done an Ironman as well as run marathons that is a tough one. Think I would hit the Ironman button on that one.

Andrew, I have to give props to you for how amazing and supportive you are. Janae is so lucky to have you.
Also so glad I found this blog sometime last year when Janae was pregnant still.

I just started school this fall while still working full time. I am going for my MBA in Business analytics and hoping this is my ticket out of being stuck in accounting when I majored in math. I like numbers, I’m good at accounting, but I am still striving for more so MBA it is. So far this first semester has been great, though one of my classes is accounting so it’s not so bad to ease into since I do accounting for work. I am oddly enjoying the studying and believe it is the perfect timing for my MBA in life because I was ready for it.

Abbey

I have newly discovered this blog, and I love it! I really appreciate the guest post, and it gives me an idea of what it’s like and what it takes to support a spouse or significant other who is a runner. The amazing sense of humor is greatly appreciated as well!

Kathy

The Keiffer Bun….her face that is “all business, and don’t mess with me”, or Jared and the stache….GROW.THE.STACHE. I mean you can shave it after right?

Think of it as your “Stache Training Plan”……take pictures weekly, buy a new stache comb for when its long and gnarly, take lots of pictures “along the way”…and update us on how much longer it takes you to get ready in the am now that you have a stache to clean/trim/and whatever else comes your way. hahahahaha!

Stacey

Good for you for being such a supportive husband! It’s nice to see how proud you are. We are, too!
I started as an Emergency RN, then NICU, and now I am a Family Nurse Practitioner in Sleep Medicine. Nursing is an amazing career in that there are so many specialties. Don’t be afraid of being pigeonholed. Good luck, Andrew!

Ramona

I didn’t read all the comments so I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but I wanted to throw Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) into the mix of nursing opportunities. That is of course if you would consider going back to school for an advanced practice degree. I am a CRNA and I love it!!

I worked both in an ER and ICU prior to anesthesia, and really enjoyed both of those areas as well. Can’t beat the adrenaline rush. ;)

Anne

First of all, best guest post ever and yes, you were quiet funny as well!

Second, congratulations to both! I can only imagine what went into this from both of you yet it seems as if life had its own timing which was respected by both (Finding each other, merging two families, pursing a new professional path, adding another member and then pursing a sub 3). One could never have accomplished one without the other and it only goes to show, it takes a team. Congratulations to you both for having found that love in each other, treasuring it daily and giving to each the best version of yourself, day in, day out.

Great guest post and it was fun to read from your perspective of living with someone with such a huge goal on the line. I think you did great and major kudos for being so careful not to pass your germs on just before the race. I would have been totally nuts having to wait in line when I’d done my homework and pre-paid to spectate at the race, only to miss seeing my person by one minute! Your rant was totally understandable. ;-)

I vote no to the mustache, but seriously, only Janae’s vote counts, right?

Eveline

Haha definitely funny, you should write more 1am posts! I especially had to laugh at the thought of Brooke being energized by the stinger waffles ;)

To answer your questions:
Not studying, I’ve completed a BSc and MSc and now working full time as research associate.
Not a fan of the mustache idea, sorry!
I would LOVE to one day to an Ironman, I’ve done a few sprints and a standard distance triathlon, and I hope to one day complete a full Ironman!

Chloe

Posts written at 1am always turn out to be the best kind. I legit LOLed, you really look like the way your write (chill, and so supportive of and genuinely happy for your lovely wife. Also maybe the teensiest bit bulliable coz you’re a big softie when it comes to your girls… But you more or less admitted to that ;)).

No you shouldn’t grow a moustache. All the best for your remaining time in school!

Great post! It’s obvious that you guys are a team and are 100% supportive of each others dreams :)

I’m currently getting my DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) from MUSC in Charleston, SC. I’m one of the “old” students haha…I started the program when I was 28 and I’ll graduate when I’m 32 (in May! Woohoo!)

My little sister is a nurse and specializes in Peds ICU. She absolutely LOVES it.

Yes, 100% to the mustache. Think it’ll grow in time for an epic Halloween costume?

Ironman. I’ve recently fallen in love with triathlons :)

Leigh

I would say no mustache….I’m not a fan of facial hair but if Janae likes it then go for it.

I’m an rn in Nz and have working in a surgical ward for eight years now and I absolutely love it!!! There are days where I think about going to ER or icu and I think one day once my kids are older I might but surgical is definitely something I Love!! Highly recommend. Also a good base for icu

Teresa

Congratulations on your son to be completed degree. Well earned. I am an RN and went straight to ICU from school and never have regretted my decision. That took me to my dream job in the Cath Lab.
Go for what your heart wants and do not settle for a unit that is not your passion. I know too many nurses whontook that path and it can be hard to transition. That being said, showing a good work ethic, teamwork, leadership will help you move up tonwhere you wnt to beni matter where you start. I see All of these qualities in you through the posts. I know youbwill reach your ultimate goals.
Congratulations to Janae for working hard and accomplishing her goal and to you for being a supportive husband .

Bojana

Hi guys! I think it’s the first time I am commenting here but seriously, how could I not! :D This was just heart-warming and cute (and also so funny!) I enjoy reading the HRG blog for its positive vibes, it’s great that I can go to it every morning and it really made my day, reading it just now :)
Congrats to both of you! From the perspective of all the effort it went in the process it almost in a way reads like a pregnancy report :D :D (I imagine, at least :)).
Hope you have a great November – and as for the moustache, I am convinced you can pull it off, so YES :D

Kelly

I’ve been a nurse for 21 years and I’m a international disaster response nurse (respond to international disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, outbreaks like Cholera, Diphtheria, Ebola (all of which I’ve done), and war and famine, and refugee camp situations. But I highly suggest you get about 2 years of med surg experience because it teaches you all the things, and gives you a broad overview. It was the best advice anyone ever gave me. Then I went into ICU, and now the disaster response nursing (for 9 years). Congrats. It’s a ton of work to go through nursing school. You learn a great base of knowledge, but ONCE YOU ARE OUT, is where the real learning begins…..there is still so so so much to know and learn. So be teachable and enjoy it. And most of all- don’t forget COMPASSION and to really be a good listener and care about your patients- these days, with electronic charting etc…..that human element is badly missing. :) Congrats, Andrew

Andrea

I’d love if Andrew wrote a post all about nursing school! I’m in my first semester now and still have no idea what I’m in for! Everyone says pharmacology is what weeds out half a cohort… Is it really bad??

Patti

You are a gem Andrew. So happy you and Janae found each other. I vote “no” to the ‘stache! Hang in there- the end is in sight. When I finished grad school is when I started running. I wasn’t used to not going full speed and decided to take on a physical challenge. :)

Allyssa

I obtained my RN with an associates degree, so I’m currently working on my BSN. I have a previous bachelors degree in something else healthcare related, so I got lucky and transferred a bunch of credits!

I was an ER nurse before I changed to my current job (it was time to back away from the crazy). My biggest advice is not to settle for something general and med-surg. I personally get the impression you would do great in the ER. You don’t strike me as an ICU nurse and I think you will be bored and unsatisfied in a slower environment.